Washtenaw County’s prosecuting attorney releases statement on abortion legality
On Friday the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision revoking the longstanding federal precedent of the right to an abortion. This now leaves the legality of abortion up to individual states. Michigan has a pre-existing law on the books criminalizing abortion. The law, last updated in 1931, makes abortion a felony except in life-threatening pregnancies, although a recent state court decision has put enforcement on hold while challenges are pending.
Washtenaw County’s prosecuting attorney, Eli Savit, released a statement in reaction to the Supreme Court decision, clarifying the current legality of abortion in Michigan and the potential threat of prosecution in Washtenaw County. It stated, “Our office has been fighting in court to secure recognition of the right to an abortion under the Michigan Constitution—which provides protections wholly independent of the federal Constitution. We will continue to vigorously advocate for that position in the weeks and months ahead.“
It continued, “In the interim, Michiganders should know this: As things stand, abortion remains legal and accessible in Michigan, thanks to a preliminary court injunction blocking enforcement of Michigan’s archaic 1931 law criminalizing abortion. But no matter what happens with the 1931 law, let me be clear: We will never, ever use our office’s scarce resources to prosecute patients, providers, or doctors for exercising reproductive freedom. We will not be a party in furthering the criminalization of a right that has been recognized as fundamental for the past 50 years. And we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the safety, health, and welfare of the people in our community—which includes the right to safe, legal, and accessible abortion.“
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